Audi of America unveiled a new partnership with AT&T offering US Audi drivers in-vehicle 4G LTE data connection with the introduction of the 2015 A3 family. The announcement was made today at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show.

Audi says it will be the first automaker to offer a Mobile Share data plan option to AT&T wireless customers who would like to add their vehicle to their existing smartphone or tablet data plan.

Chevrolet had also announced at CES that the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette, Impala, Malibu, and Volt would come optionally equipped with OnStar 4G LTE, running on AT&T’s network. (Earlier post.)

Audi says it plans to roll out 4G LTE capability across its entire lineup as new or refreshed models come to the market.

The new A3 family will feature the most advanced version of Audi connect including picture navigation, read-aloud news headlines, Facebook and Twitter alerts; access to more than 7,000 Web radio stations; personalized RSS news feeds, and more.

The new Audi connect 4G LTE service will allow faster Google Earth and Google Street View enhancements to Audi MMI navigation plus. The 4G LTE connectivity will also provide faster downloads and high-definition video streaming for up to eight devices used by passengers over the in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot.

An accompanying mobile app will allow advanced functionality between the MMI system and smartphones, reducing the need for Audi motorists to handle their devices when accessing some smartphone-based features.